Missouri town is looking for priest [found] suspected of ... a Miracle

[Hum]

A small Missouri town is looking for a man not suspected of a crime but, rather, a miracle.

"I think that this time I've actually witnessed a guardian angel at work," Jeremiah See of the New London Fire Department told ABC News.

An unidentified allegedly drunken driver hit Katie Lentz, of Quincy, Mo., head on Aug. 4 while traveling on Route 19 near Center, Mo., pinning the 19-year-old in the front seat of her convertible. With her vital signs failing fast, she asked rescue crews to pray with her.

That's when first responders say a man who looked like a Catholic priest seemed to appear out of nowhere, despite a 2-mile perimeter blocking the scene.

"He began to pray and use the anointing oil," New London Fire Chief Raymond Reed said. "There was a calmness that, to me, seemed to come over the entire scene."

But that's not the only seemingly divine detail. Firefighters say their equipment kept failing until the mystery man showed up.

"The words were to remain calm, that our tools would now work," Reed said. "Instantaneously, at that moment, our neighboring department arrived with fresh extrication tools."

Lentz survived, but the man vanished before crews could thank him. :happy:

The young woman is recovering in the hospital with broken legs and ribs, but some say it could've been worse, if not for the mystery man on the highway.

"Whether it was just a priest as an angel, or an actual angel coming down," Lentz's friend Travis Wiseman said, "he was an angel to everyone and to Katie."

source

[ahhell]

:rolleyes:

[Tomoko]

They better hope they don't find him. as soon as they do reality will hit and they'll all feel dumb as hell.

 

I don't think these people have any concept of reality, and they're probably far too dumb to realize how dumb they are.

[Hum]

^ Maybe the angel transcends 'Reality'. ;)

[compl3x]

At the same time people all over that state/country/world were dying and in need, but ###### them, right?

[Hum]

that means it never happened.

there is nothing other than reality/whats real.

There are many different realities.

 

And your Beliefs create them. ;)

[compl3x]

There are many different realities.

 

And your Beliefs create them. ;)

 

Can I create a reality where you don't spout incoherent drivel?

 

*tries*

 

Nope, I guess not.

[Torolol]

*tries*

not enough manna ... err i mean.. faith.

[ILikeTobacco]

Can I create a reality where you don't spout incoherent drivel?

 

*tries*

 

Nope, I guess not.

:laugh: Funny that his comment went right over your head. The fact that you failed to do what you "tried" means you have a mental disorder because the thoughts you have are realities by definition. If you are incapable of controlling your own thoughts, you may want to go see a doctor about that. Whether or not the man was a priest/angel/etc and whether or not he was the reason things turned out the way they did is irrelevant. What happened was they were having a bad day, he showed up, things started to go better, and he disappeared. The fact that you want to argue that that actually happened when so many people claim it did just means you need a stronger tin foil hat since you can't see to grasp that good things happen and sometimes they are accompanied by weird/interesting coincidences. The only other option is that we believe you and this never happened, there was no car accident, nobody was actually hurt, and the rescue team was never there. The entire story is made up down to every last detail. /waves hand like a Jedi

[zhangm Supervisor]

An unidentified allegedly drunken driver hit Katie Lentz, of Quincy, Mo., head on Aug. 4 while traveling on Route 19 near Center, Mo., pinning the 19-year-old in the front seat of her convertible. With her vital signs failing fast, she asked rescue crews to pray with her.

Well then, I guess the drunk driver can breathe a sigh of relief here - at least they're not all looking for him or her.

[Andre S. Veteran]

That's very interesting. Apparently none of the local churches can say who this priest was. It'd be useful to know how the extra team was notified of the accident and arrived there on time, if the firefighters there didn't expect it.

[firey]

I bet he was the drunk driver.. Probably gave them each a shot, was like Chill guys, I got this ######.  At which point he tripped over the extension cord causing the tools to not work. He was actually praying for himself:

"Please don't let them find out, please don't let them find out..."

At that point his police scanner aired the team was coming.  So he acted magical.

Pretty sure that's what happened.

[Hum]

more detail:

 

An artist has created a sketch of the mysterious "angel priest" who witnesses say appeared at the scene of a Missouri car accident Sunday, anointed and prayed with the teenage victim and then vanished without a trace.

Fox4KC reports Tucson-based artist Randall Sands created the sketch using online face sketch software at facesid.com based on media reports, hoping someone would be able to identify the cleric.

Officials are still scratching their heads over the priest, who they say appeared out of nowhere. Perhaps more mysteriously, the local fire chief said he does not appear in any of 80 photos from the accident scene.

"I think that this time I've actually witnessed a guardian angel at work," Jeremiah See of the New London Fire Department told ABC News.

Family and friends of the victim, 19-year-old Katie Lentz of Quincy, Mo., say they are hoping to find the priest and thank him for making the rescue possible.

"Where did this guy come from?" Lentz's friend Travis Wiseman asked, according to KHQA. "We're looking for the priest and so far, no one has seen him. Whether it was a priest as an angel or an actual angel, he was an angel to all those and to Katie."

Rescuers tell Fox4KC a 26-year-old driver crossed the center lane and hit Lentz' car head-on. Authorities spent about 45 minutes trying to cut her out of the car, but the metal on her older car dulled the equipment.

?The fire chief, Raymond Reed, had stepped back and came up to me and said he was concerned because he was out of options. His tools weren?t working and by that time, it was almost an hour and said I don?t know how we?re going to get her out,? Ralls County Sheriff?s Deputy Richard Adair told KHQA.

At this point, Fox4KC reports Lentz asked the rescuers to pray with her. Then the priest appeared ? although the highway was blocked for two to three miles and emergency responders were not letting anyone past the roadblocks.

?He came and he asked to anoint the girl in the car,? Adair said. ?My first thought was that it would possibly send the wrong message to Katie that maybe we had called a priest and thought she wasn?t going to make it. So I went back and talked to the priest and told him we were worried she would think we?d given up hope. He said, ?I just want to anoint her? and so we just let him come up to the scene.?

Witnesses said he anointed Lentz and her rescuers with oil, prayed with them and asked them to remain calm.

The Hannibal fire department then pulled up with fresh equipment and was able to free Lentz. After getting her in the Air Evac helicopter, rescue workers said the priest was nowhere to be found.

Fire Chief Reed said the department took 80 photos of the scene and the priest did not appear in any of them. :huh:

A witness who said she and her husband held Lentz' hand after the accident tells KHQA she remembers the priest well.

"He was dark complected," she said. "He had an accent, but I'm not sure what nationality. He was probably 5 feet 6 inches maybe. He was not heavy set, but he probably weighed close to 200 pounds. He had dark hair."

The Diocese of Jefferson City says it has not located the priest involved and does not plan to search for him.

?Out of respect for the privacy of any priest who may have been involved and does not wish to come forward, the Diocese does not plan to further investigate this incident. The Diocese is grateful that a priest was able to exercise his ministry in this manner and requests prayers for healing of the victim, as well as prayers of thanks.? Deacon Dan Joyce said.

Ralls County Prosecuting Attorney Rodney Rodenbaugh said he anticipates charges will be filed against the driver Aaron Smith, KHQA reports.

Lentz remains at Blessing Hospital in serious condition. She was treated for multiple fractures and serious internal injuries.
 

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/08/10/small-town-searching-for-identity-mysterious-angel-priest-who-appeared-at-crash/?test=latestnews

[compl3x]

:laugh: Funny that his comment went right over your head. The fact that you failed to do what you "tried" means you have a mental disorder because the thoughts you have are realities by definition. If you are incapable of controlling your own thoughts, you may want to go see a doctor about that.

 

Whether or not the man was a priest/angel/etc and whether or not he was the reason things turned out the way they did is irrelevant. What happened was they were having a bad day, he showed up, things started to go better, and he disappeared.

 

The fact that you want to argue that that actually happened when so many people claim it did just means you need a stronger tin foil hat since you can't see to grasp that good things happen and sometimes they are accompanied by weird/interesting coincidences. The only other option is that we believe you and this never happened, there was no car accident, nobody was actually hurt, and the rescue team was never there. The entire story is made up down to every last detail. /waves hand like a Jedi

 

Somebody obviously has difficulty with sarcasm.  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:

 

Where did I suggest the accident didn't happen or this guy was never there? Oh, no where. One thing that is embarrassing is the fact that this person was so easily able to pass through a perimeter which is set up for safety.

 

 

 

Calling this a miracle or him an angel is what I think is stupid.

 

 

 

The Diocese of Jefferson City says it has not located the priest involved and does not plan to search for him.

?Out of respect for the privacy of any priest who may have been involved and does not wish to come forward, the Diocese does not plan to further investigate this incident. The Diocese is grateful that a priest was able to exercise his ministry in this manner and requests prayers for healing of the victim, as well as prayers of thanks.? Deacon Dan Joyce said.

 

Don't want to investigate a miracle/angel? I would have thought they'd jump at the chance.

 

And why would the priest want to conceal his identity?

[metallithrax]

It was Father Dowling.

[compl3x]

It was funny to see some Catholics talking about looking at pictures of priests who are dead in order to identify the "angel". This is also interesting:

 

This is what the priest actually looks like:

 

 

 

This is a composite sketch of the mystery priest:

 

 

 

Not even close. No glasses, longer face, no receding hairline etc. 

[astropheed Veteran]

They better hope they don't find him. as soon as they do reality will hit and they'll all feel dumb as hell.

 

Ah, maybe so. But if they never find him does that mean you should admit you are?

 

--

Interesting story, likely a reasonable explanation, but still pretty cool.

[compl3x]

^ There is a reasonable explanation. They've found the guy in question.

[Hum]

'Guardian Angel' at Missouri Car Accident Identified

 The mystery priest who seemingly came from nowhere to pray with an accident victim at the scene of a head-on car crash in Missouri has come forward to say that he was only doing the basic job of a priest and most of the credit goes to God, who "took such good care of" the injured woman.

"I have no doubt the Most High answered their prayers and I was part of his answer, but only part," the Rev. Patrick Dowling told ABC News Monday.

First responders had said they were convinced the mystery priest was sent from above.

Dowling, a priest in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jefferson City, was the clergyman who showed up when an allegedly drunken driver hit Katie Lentz, of Quincy, Mo., head-on Aug. 4 while traveling on Route 19 near Center, Mo. The accident pinned the 19-year-old in the front seat of her vehicle.

"I was coming from 8:30 a.m. mass and shortly after that I saw this line of cars," Dowling recounted.

Lentz was barely clinging to life and her vital signs were failing fast when she asked rescue crews to pray with her. That's when first responders say a man who looked like a Catholic priest seemed to appear out of nowhere, despite a 2-mile perimeter blocking the scene.

"One of the rescuers said to me, 'We need all the help we can get right now,'" Dowling said.

Dowling had anointing oil with him. He prayed, gave Lentz the anointing of the sick, as well as absolution.

"There was a calmness that, to me, seemed to come over the entire scene," New London Fire Chief Raymond Reed said.

But that's not the only seemingly divine detail. Firefighters say their equipment kept failing until the mystery man appeared.

After Dowling performed his duties, he left the scene. But his sudden disappearance only added to the air of mystery. Dowling wasn't in any of the nearly 70 photos or videos taken near the scene, which left many wondering whether he was an angel from above.

It wasn't long before the entire town and soon the country were searching for this seemingly heavenly hero who was dubbed the "angel priest."

Lentz was eventually airlifted to a local hospital with broken legs and ribs. Dowling had a chance to meet with Lentz Saturday in the intensive care unit.

"I told her I'm the priest who stopped by the site and she started to cry. I don't know why," Dowling said. "I think it was the most disappointing moment of all that I wasn't an angel or something."

While Lentz's savior might have salt and pepper hair instead of a halo, those closest to the teen say they still believe Dowling is an angel among men.

"Let's remember it was the all mighty who loved that little girl so much and took such good care of her," he said.

A native of Ireland, Dowling was ordained a priest for the Jefferson City Diocese in 1982. He serves in the prison ministry, and also ministers to the Spanish-speaking population of the Diocese of Jefferson City, according to the National Catholic Register.

 

http://gma.yahoo.com/mystery-priest-missouri-car-accident-identified-115004220--abc-news-topstories.html?vp=1

[xfx]

I put my skeptic hat right after reading he first word of the title...

[Hum]

He should star in his own show -- call it Father Dowling Mysteries ... :shifty:

[+E.Worm Jimmy Subscriber¹]

It was funny to see some Catholics talking about looking at pictures of priests who are dead in order to identify the "angel". This is also interesting:

 

This is what the priest actually looks like:

 

 

 

This is a composite sketch of the mystery priest:

 

 

 

Not even close. No glasses, longer face, no receding hairline etc. 

 

actually, i am sure the picture for news is from his ministry, and it could be old. 

 

if you forget the glasses and  changed haircut, it looks ok

 

 

then again, i watched the documentary, saying this sketches are almost always considerably off.

[Nashy]

Who cares how it happened, it's great that it did.

[compl3x]

Who cares how it happened, it's great that it did.

 

 

Oh, so after it is exposed as having an entirely rational explanation  it no longer matters? Funny, if this went unsolved it would be used by Catholic crackpots everywhere as some proof of miracles.

 

The zeal in which the media and the  faithful are willing to claim everything as a miracle or the work of god is embarrassing.

 

I put my skeptic hat right after reading he first word of the title...

 

 

Really? You were sceptical about Missouri? Do you think it is imaginary?  :rofl:  :rofl:

[Raa]

I put my skeptic hat right after reading he first word of the title...

Yes, Hum is a bit of a sceptical person. :P